A Mumbra woman was scammed out of £6,750 by an online fraudster posing as an NRI on a matrimonial site, highlighting the dangers of online dating scams and the importance of vigilance.
Key Points
- A 29-year-old woman from Mumbra was allegedly cheated of £6,750 by a man posing as an NRI on a matrimonial site.
- The accused, identified as Adnan Ahmed, claimed to be a UK resident and convinced the victim he needed money for customs fines.
- The woman transferred £6,750 to various bank accounts provided by the accused before he stopped responding.
- Police have registered an FIR against Adnan Ahmed and an unidentified woman involved in the online matrimonial fraud.
A 29-year-old woman from Mumbra in Maharashtra's Thane district was allegedly cheated of Rs 6.75 lakh by a man posing as an NRI on a matrimonial site, police said on Sunday.
Based on a complaint, the Mumbra police on March 26 registered an FIR against Adnan Ahmed and an unidentified woman, an official said.
According to the police, the fraud took place between January 27 and March 13.
"The complainant has alleged that she came across Ahmed's profile on a matrimonial site, where he claimed to be a resident of the UK. The duo started communicating with each other and discussed getting married," the official said.
On January 27, the accused allegedly contacted the woman, claiming he was travelling to India and that the customs authorities at Delhi airport had seized his gold ornaments and a large cache of foreign currency.
"The accused claimed that he needed urgent funds to pay 'fines and clearances' to retrieve his belongings. The victim transferred Rs 6.75 lakh from her accounts to various bank accounts provided by the accused," he said.
The woman approached the police after the accused stopped responding to her calls and messages, the official said, adding that a probe is underway.
The FIR also listed an unknown woman who allegedly assisted in the crime and the holders of the bank accounts where the money was transferred, he said.
